Creating Economic Expansion through Industry Reinvention - The Time is Now!
The Columbus Fashion Summit is sponsored by:
Prepare to be captivated at the upcoming Columbus Fashion Summit, where a vibrant convergence of retail professionals, industry experts, educators, innovators, researchers, and business leaders awaits. This highly anticipated, invitation-only event serves as a forum to hear cutting-edge initiatives that are propelling the local industry forward, knowledge exchange and idea incubator. As the fashion landscape undergoes a remarkable transformation, the summit offers a unique platform to ignite collective enthusiasm and foster collaboration, specifically centered around Columbus' most promising sector—the reimagined fashion industry. Get ready to be informed, inspired and invigorated! Join us at the Columbus Fashion Summit to hear why now is the time for reinvention and how you can be part of shaping the future of fashion!
Speakers Include
As our city embraces this pivotal moment, it is not only imperative for us to unite as a community but also extend an open invitation to the broader fashion industry for this remarkable opportunity for growth. The potential for our city to be a gateway for the future of fashion is there, we just have to seize it.
-Yohannan Terrell
Sessions Include
8:30-9 am
Refreshments
9 am
Welcome Statements from County Commissioners / Damika
9:15 am
Welcome from Yogi
Learn Session
10:30 am
Competitiveness & Collaboration: Building Talent Pipelines
A special presentation on retail competitiveness in the face of a changing retail industry from Manjari Raman, Senior Program Director, Managing the Future of Work, Harvard Business School
11:30 am - 12 pm
Lunch Break
12 - 12:45 pm
Unlock: How to unlock new futures in the fashion industry
A panel of fashion, education, and tech leaders on solutions to create new pathways into the fashion industry. Hosted by Illianna Acosta of LinkedIn and joined by Hannah Wexner founder of skills based platform Blocktrain, Lydia Smith Head of DEI at VS&Co, Laurie Kamerer of Denison University, and Todd Corley Head of DEI at Carhartt.
Make Session
12:50 pm
Small is the new Big
Leaders in the small batch production space discuss the future of manufacturing in the U.S. and needs for success in Columbus.
Innovate Session
1:50 pm
Fashion Forward: Columbus’ Next Frontier
CFA is joined by CCAD, AECOM, Fashinnovation from New York, Human Solutions and more to talk about Columbus' big opportunity to merge fashion and tech and to make some big announcements on building the next fashion hub in America.
Experience Session
3:00 pm
Beyond Style: Reinventing Columbus Retail
Hosted by CBUS Retail featuring Kat Depizzo of Justice Design Lab, Dionte Johnson of Sole Classics, and other special guests.
3:45 pm
Closing Remarks
The Columbus Fashion Alliance is a non-profit organization leading the initiative to build a new economy through fashion right here in Columbus, OH, the fashion capital of the MidWest. Our mission is to build the workforce of the future, diversify the industry, and put Columbus on the map as the next fashion frontier.